Happy Women's Day!

2019-03-08

Time is so fast,now is the 2019's International Women's Day,Happy Women's Day to you all my female friends and your family around the world.

Below is the article from Telegraph.co.uk

International
Women’s Day is a worldwide event that celebrates women’s achievements –
from the political to the social – while calling for gender equality.

It has been observed since the early 1900s and is now recognised each
year on March 8 (today). It is not affiliated with any one group, but
brings together governments, women's organisations, corporations and
charities. The day is marked around the world with arts performances,
talks, rallies, networking events, conferences and marches.

But how did the celebratory day begin – and what are women uniting against this year? Here is everything you need to know.

How did it start?

It’s difficult to say exactly when IWD (as it’s known) began.
Its roots can be traced to 1908, when 15,000 women marched through New
York City demanding voting rights, better pay and shorter working hours.

A year later, the first National Woman’s Day was observed in the US
on February 28, in accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party
of America.

In 1910, a
woman called Clara Zetkin – leader of the ‘women’s office’ for the
Social Democratic Party in Germany – tabled the idea of an International
Women’s Day. She suggested that every country should celebrate women on
one day every year to push for their demands.

A conference of more than 100 women from 17 countries agreed to her
suggestion and IWD was formed. In 1911, it was celebrated for the first
time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on March 19.

In 1913, it was decided to transfer IWD to March 8, and it has been
celebrated on that day ever since. The day was only recognised by the
United Nations in 1975, but ever since it has created a theme each year
for the celebration.

In 2011, former US President Barack Obama proclaimed March to be ‘Women’s History Month’.

Why do we still celebrate it?

Simply, because the original aim –
to achieve full gender equality for women the world – has still
not been realised. A gender pay gap persists across the globe and women
are still not present in equal numbers in business or politics. Figures
show that globally, women’s education, health and violence towards women
is still worse than that of men.

According to the World Economic Forum, the gender gap won't close until 2186. On IWD, women
across the world come together to force the world to recognise these
inequalities – while also celebrating the achievements of women who
have overcome these barriers.

According to a 2017 report by the World Economic Forum, it could
still take another 100 years before the global equality gap between men
and women disappears entirely.

In 2018, women effectively worked "for free" from November 10 until the end of the year because of the gender pay gap. Women are also paid less than half than men at some of Britain's major companies, according to recent gender pay gap figures.

For the
past couple of years, women's rights have dominated the news, following
a global reckoning on sexual misconduct rippling through industries.
Following the outpouring of allegations against Harvey Weinstein and
other prominent men in power, the #MeToo movement gave a voice to women
on the abuse and harassment they suffer in film, fashion, music,
politics and art.

There was a vocal, headline-grabbing fight for women's rights
in 2018, with female actresses donating money and wearing black at
awards ceremonies in support of #TimesUp and BBC journalist Carrie Gracie publicly resigning as China editor over unequal pay. This year, the pursuit has continued, with members of the Democratic party in the US wearing white at Donald Trump's State of the Nation address.

With gender parity still an apparent 168 years away, many are hoping
the trajectory surrounding women's rights climbs as the year continues.

What is this year’s theme?

The theme for IWD 2019 is #BalanceForBetter,
a nod to the growing global push for professional and social equality.
Described as a "business issue", the aim of the theme is to encourage
gender balance in boardrooms, in the media and in wealth as a way for
economies to thrive. It echoes the aims of the Telegraph's Women Mean Business campaign - which launched on IWD last year to help close the funding gap for female entrepreneurs in Britain.

As a result
of our campaign, banks will now be compelled to publish regular updates
on how much they invest in businesses run by women as part of a series
of new measures to help female entrepreneurs. Read more about the
Telegraph's victory here,
or watch the video below in which our Women's Editor and Associate
Features Editor Claire Cohen explains all about the campaign and why we
started it.

Is there an International Men's Day?

Yes! It takes place on November 19 each year and is celebrated in 60 countries around the world. The objectives of the day include a focus on men's and boy's health, improving gender relations,
promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models.

It is an occasion for men to celebrate their achievements and
contributions, in particular their contributions to community, family,
marriage, and child care while highlighting the discrimination against
them.

The month of November is also a chance for men to take part in the
popular 'Movember' charity event, by growing facial hair for charity
sponsorship.

How can you get involved?

There are many ways you can take part in IWD.

1. Make a pledge for parity

This involves going to the IWD website and pledging to help women and girls achieve their ambitions; call for gender-balanced leadership and create flexible cultures.

2. Join one of the many events happening around the world

The IWD website shows where events are happening in countries and towns - check out
what's happening near you to see how you can participate. Plus, there
will be an organised march in London on Sunday, March 3.

3. Host your own event

It’s still not too late. IWD encourages people to host a prominent speaker and create an event of their own.

What's happening in the UK?

There are a host of free and ticketed events taking place across the
country, including talks, workshops and film screenings. Head to Brecon for a 10-day Women's Festival; Bristol for a day of music, art and talks; Glasgow for a Swap Market on women in the economy; Chester for a conference led by Henrietta Jowitt, deputy director of the CBI; and Manchester for an afternoon looking at a century of women's protest.

For a full list of events in your local area, check out the official International Women's Day website https://www.internationalwomensday.com/. Tickets for the Southbank Centre's Women of the World Festival,
taking place 8-9 March, are also on general sale. Take your pick of the
best talks, exhibitions and concerts celebrating women worldwide.